


in the wake of tomorrow

by Saraku



Series: they'll call us freedom [1]
Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Illnesses, Kidnapping, No beta we die like illiterates, POV Alternating, Rescue Missions, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-05-08 10:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14692629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saraku/pseuds/Saraku
Summary: When the last broadcast of the Midnight Channel went live, it didn't showcase a little girl. It showcased a tall, young man wearing a Yasogami High uniform.[Yu was shown in the Midnight Channel instead of Nanako. And so, the wheel of fate spun.]





	1. in the wake

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [if you can't save me, meet me in heaven instead](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14593962) by [Tatsumaki_sama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumaki_sama/pseuds/Tatsumaki_sama). 



> Made with permission from Tatsumaki-sama, this is based on/a companion fic to their own story. Thank you so much for letting me write this!

“When is it raining again?”

“It’s tomorrow. Midnight Channel watching prep today then?”

Yu nodded, rubbing his palm across his forehead. Yosuke frowned, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “Dude, you alright? You don’t look too good.”

“I think I have a cold,” Yu muttered. Chie and Yukiko leaned in to hear him. “Studying for exams, the TV world…” He grimaced, admitting to his lack of self-care (yet again). Anticipating their next words, Yu continued, “Change of plans, then. I’ll rest when I get home, promise. No TV world shenanigans.”

Chie grumbled as all three relented. “No running around town for odd jobs?” Yukiko asked.

“No running around town for odd jobs," he responded. Catching three large fish likely wouldn't do any wonders for his health.

Yu smiled discreetly as they went back to their bantering with Yukiko cackling in the background. They stepped out of the building –

– to see a politician and two reporters interviewing students and the principal at the gate. Yu felt a sense of dread fill him. There weren’t many people on TV aside those in commercials or news, so if a new face showed up…

“– oh! Students, do you have a moment?”

Chie gave a noisy reply of ‘no’ while Yosuke and Yukiko tried to be more kind with their reply, but the reporters ignored them and now there was a camera. In front of their faces. Recording.

Great.

If another one of his team got kidnapped, he was going to cause hell.

“Sorry, but this won’t take long,” one of the reporters promised. Chie grumbled.

The politician – Yu thought he was vaguely familiar – cleared his throat. “Children, you are the future of Inaba, of the world! With this fog suddenly thick and enveloping the town, do you think there’s something you can do about it?

Yu kept his face impassive but Izanagi snorted with response to the question. Something to do about it, indeed.

His friends gave relatively vague answers and Yu followed suite, not wanting to attract attention onto himself, as well as giving a small comment on how the fog wasn’t helping with his studies. Which was true, though they didn’t need to know there were two reasons for that fog. He was sure he heard Yosuke snort.

The politician looked like he protested their answers but they saw Naoto down the road discreetly waving at them when Yu’s phone rang and saw Naoto as the caller, giving them an excuse to escape.

Yukiko sighed when they escaped the spotlight, walking in pace with Naoto. “Thank goodness you were there, Naoto-kun. I don’t think they would’ve let us leave otherwise.”

Naoto nodded. “Yes – it was pure luck I was there. Though I worry – if the killer chooses his victims based on who appears on TV…”

Yosuke groaned. “Ugh. Yeah. Any of us could be targets if they got dragged in.”

“That can make at least for of us on the team a potential target,” Yu murmured. “While the killer does choose only one, there’s a chance he goes for all four.”

Yukiko hummed. “Maybe. Do you think he’ll kidnap me again?”

Naoto crossed her arms, pensive. “This is an anomaly if this is the first time you’ve been the focus since you’ve been kidnapped, Yukiko-senpai.”

“We’ll just have to watch the Midnight Channel, then, and be ready if the kidnapper makes a bad mistake,” Chie added.

“I’ll tell the others to get extra rest.”

“How about _we_ do that and _you_ get the extra rest?”

Yu’s mouth twitched in amusement as Chie stepped on Yosuke’s foot. “Do you even have Rise’s number? I’ll tell the others.”

“We can work together and tell those we have communication with,” Naoto replied, cutting off their impending argument. “I do see how tired you look, senpai, so please get rest.”

Yu didn’t know how he’d gained a team that was not only dedicated but caring but he most certainly appreciated them.

 

\---

 

Yu settled on his spot of the table, relaxing as the smell of Aiya’s food wafted his way. Nanako had urged him not to cook because of how tired he looked and his uncle had agreed, leaving him no choice but to attempt to rest while they dealt with ordering and other house work.

“Someone visit your school today, Yu?”

Yu blinked in surprise before he nodded, looking over to the TV where it was set on the news station. It featured Yasogami High and a few of the students walking in the background, but only the politician that was asking the students and staff was featured.

He’d seen him around on the news before but nothing had happened; Yu hoped this meant that the killer was done (even though every part of him urged to find the truth), or at least took a break because Yu felt like dropping to bed after eating.

“The fog is getting worse, daddy.” Nanako pouted. “Is this because the weather lady said so?”

Dojima shook his head kindly and Yu held back a chuckle. “No, Nanako. The weather is just being playful right now.”

“Oh.” She nodded in agreement. “If you say so!”

Yu began to clean up when they finished eating but Nanako placed her hands on her hips and gave him a displeased look. Dojima sent him upstairs to “lie down, I’ll bring you something for your cold in a bit.”

Yu shivered slightly. He felt as if he had taken something from the fridge so he was determined to sleep it off.

And since it would rain all day tomorrow, he had to.

 

\---

 

Naoto was waiting for Kanji outside of Tatsumi Textiles when two people walked past her, chatting loudly.

“Have you seen the paper?”

“About how they interviewed students from Yasogami? Yes! I’m a little disappointed that they weren’t too concerned, but I suppose it can’t be helped. They’re still kids, after all.”

“True. They also interviewed that one boy that keeps visiting the Shrine – the one with silver hair?”

“Oh, yes, Narukami-kun! He’s very helpful and kind – he somehow managed to keep Tatsumi from getting into more fights, didn’t you hear?”

“Yeah. I wonder what he said about the fog, they didn’t specify…”

Naoto frowned, shooting Kanji a text about the time.

 

\---

 

  
“Is big bro okay?”

Yu didn’t know when he blacked out, but he clearly did because the last thing he remembered was opening the door and now he was on the sofa.

“He’ll be fine, he just – Yu! You’re awake.”

Chie. Right – she was escorting him home since he felt even worse than yesterday while the others went to prepare for the chance of having to rescue another victim of the kidnapper.

Small warm hands clasped onto one of his own – _it was so cold_ – and Yu turned slightly to meet his quasi-sister’s eyes. Nanako was frowning alongside Chie.

“Big bro, I think you’re sick.”

Yu made a noise of protest.

Chie shook her head. “Definitely sick. Sorry, Yu, but you look like you opened a chest and found the reaper instead,” she joked before her tone turned serious. “But really, you need rest.”

“I’ll go make tea!” Nanako bounded off to the kitchen.

Chie responded something akin to appreciation as she fixed the blankets that covered Yu’s frame.

Yu didn’t even realize the blanket was there.

“Chie – “ He grunted, struggling to push himself up but she gently pushed him back down and adjusted the blanket.               

“Don’t worry about the Midnight Channel tonight,” she whispered. Yu tried to respond but Chie hushed him before he could. “Sorry, you might be our mighty leader, but you’re still human. Take a break. If anything comes up, we’ll let you know tomorrow, all right?”

Yu was at a crossroad. He wanted to say _yes, all right, thank you_ because he was tired but the guilt gnawed at him – just as she said, he was their leader. He had a responsibility and that went first, _always_ –

“You’re thinking too hard for a sick man.”

Yu blinked at Chie’s comment. She rolled her eyes. “Get that gloomy look off your face. Nanako’s almost done with the tea and neither of us want her to see you look sad, because then _she’ll_ be sad.”

That was something he could agree with.

 

\---

 

Yu awoke to see his uncle place a hand on his forehead; he hissed at the cold hand.

“You’re burning up,” Dojima muttered. “Nanako, would you mind grabbing the fever meds?”

Nanako nodded, disappearing from his sight to hear her bound down the stairs. It took him a moment to realize he was no longer on the couch, and rather was on his bed. Yu deduced that Dojima carried him up and he felt the same warmth he had experienced yesterday when the team told him to rest.

His uncle grasped his hand and Yu felt horrible, both physically and emotionally for making them take care of him. A part of him wondered when the last he was like this was and his Personae rumbled quietly.

He sighed in relief when a cold compress was settled on his forehead, pulling him out of his musings to see his uncle give him a fond, yet worried look.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Yu blinked and then Dojima gave _him_ a look. “You were sent here to be taken care of, so we’re going to take care of you.”

Yu squinted. “You… sound like Nanako.” He winced at the sound of his voice – scratchy, dry – but he forced the words out anyway.

Dojima smiled, squeezing his hand gently.

Yu found the strength to squeeze back.

 

\---

 

 

Her alarm for five minutes to midnight went off and Rise stretched her arms and rubbed her neck. Exams were soon so studying was in order, but the Midnight Channel was priority. She peeked out her curtains to see the rain still pour.

She hoped no one would be on it – being kidnapped was a terrible experience, even if it gave her people that genuinely cared about her and wanted to be her friend. However, Naoto’s text and warning made it near impossible.

Kanji had said no one was on the TV other than the politician, but it did nothing to ease her worry.

Her 1-minute alarm went off as she settled on her bed, cross-legged and phone in hand. Chie sent them a mass text that their leader was sick and was not to be disturbed directly, so she had plans to call Naoto if it came down to it.

The TV flickered on.

Rise’s phone clattered to the ground.

 

\---

 

Yosuke knew he was fidgeting.

It was hard not to when one’s best friend was a target for kidnapping and that they became a target even though they didn’t fit the pattern. And said best friend also happened to be sick at the moment.

Yosuke felt like _he_ was going to be sick.

When class finally ended Yosuke practically flung himself off his desk, unable to look at the empty desk in front of him.

“Convene at Yu’s house?”

Yukiko nodded. “Go on ahead, Yosuke-kun, Chie. I need to run to the inn for a moment before I make my way there.”

Yosuke biked and Chie ran but it felt like it took forever to get there regardless. He barely got sleep after the broadcast from sheer worry. And it looked like Chie and Yukiko returned the sentiment with that feeling.

Nanako answered the door when they got there, a sad look on her face as she informed them that Yu was still sick and was essentially bedridden. They offered to stay and help with whatever they needed and Nanako responded with a bright smile.

“First, we need to set some ground rules,” Yosuke began.

“ _What?_ ”

Yosuke kept quiet. The wrong choice of words would result in a very painful kick to the nads that would definitely wake Yu up.

He hesitantly began. “Do you remember the school trip?”

“…Yes?”

Yosuke felt awkward. “Yeah, um. No cooking for you.”

Chie looked very, _very_ annoyed.

So when the doorbell rang, Yosuke heaved a sigh of relief and beat Nanako to the door, his mind briefly wondering why a six-year-old would answer the door right away even when there were older people in the room.

The rest of the team was at the door, some holding bags of groceries. Kanji in particular had a small cat chain for Yu’s phone.

“Is senpai alright?” Rise asked, walking in after Yosuke moved away from the door.

“Bedridden.”

Nanako gave them individual hugs. “Big bro’s still sick, but daddy and I are taking care of him! He’ll be really happy to see you all here.”

Teddie gave a little jump of joy. “Oh, Nana-chan, we’re happy to be here!"

“Can we –“ Naoto gestured randomly and Yosuke agreed. No one wanted to talk about an impending kidnapping with the target’s little sister.

“Yeah!” Nanako giggled and Yosuke felt the tension leave his shoulders, just a bit. “I was gonna make soup –“

“I-I can help!” Kanji gently shoved his way to the front of the group and Yosuke saw Rise visibly deflate. “I’ve cooked soup for Ma before and she gave me this recipe I’m sure senpai would love –“

Yosuke tuned out the rest of his words; so long it wasn’t the girls sans Naoto cooking, it would be fine. Kanji and Nanako took over the kitchen, the former giving them a worried look before going to help. They sat around the living room. Though there was the sounds in the kitchen, it felt awkward. Any other time, they would be bantering and arguing and being friends but now it felt like the fog was inside and choking them.

Rise broke the silence.

“We all watched the Midnight Channel, right?”

“It was definitely Yu.” Chie sighed and it summed up their feelings about this, really.

“How, though?” Yukiko questioned. “He didn’t show up on TV. None of us did.”

Naoto crossed her arms. “I’m looking into it. I have some theories, but right now we need to focus on senpai’s safety.”

Teddie made a noise. “Should we tell him?”

Yosuke already had an answer. “No. It’ll stress him out more – not to mention his tendency to take everything on himself. He’ll end up killing himself.”

Teddie pouted but agreed. “What should we do?”

Rise’s eyes lit up. “Do you think we can stay here? Or at least one of us at a time? That way senpai isn’t alone.”

“That’s an excellent idea!” Yukiko clapped her hands together. “We’re frequent visitors as is, and with Yu-kun sick we can excuse it as also wanting to take care of him – which isn’t a lie.”

Yosuke nodded. “Agreed.” The others gave their approval as well. “Alright. I’ll try and see if I can clear Ted’s schedule at Junes for when we’re at school.”

“I’ll focus on my theories,” Naoto said, “while I don’t want to say it _will_ happen, in the event senpai doesn’t get kidnapped, we’ll need to figure out how the killer chose him when he didn’t fit the previous kidnappings.”

As they all chatted about their own pet projects to help out, Yosuke let his mind wander. Yu was always the one saving them – the least they could do was make sure he stayed safe. He hummed.

That kidnapper made a very, very idiotic choice.

 

\---

 

Yu wasn’t sure how many hours – maybe even days – had passed since he had gotten sick, nor did he really believe his clock saying it had been at least a day but it was all he had so he went with it.

Being awake made him feel like he was in the TV world at a constant without his glasses. Being asleep gave him brief glances of the Velvet Room – of Igor as he flipped card after card for predictions, of Margaret as she flipped through pages of the compendium with an incomprehensible face – and uncomfortable memories of dungeons like Mitsuo’s.

Sometimes, when he was awake, Nanako or his uncle or one of his friends were there, whispering assurances and reading or simply being _there_. It gave Yu comfort to know that even though they didn’t have to, there they were, ready to catch him when he needed to fall.

When he heard Yukiko mutter something about the inn to Nanako downstairs he felt bad that he was the reason she was unable to focus on the on inn more. The door closed and Yu twisted in his bed. His Personae –

– the door opened and Nanako _screamed_ –

 _– screamed_ alongside Nanako and Yu hastily got up, wincing at the dizziness and dark spots that assaulted at his vision. Sraosha in particular screeched – the _Justice_ – and Yu nearly tumbled off the stairs, struggling to keep his balance. They were willing to catch him when he fell, so he wanted to repay the favour. No one was going to touch Nanako.

His hand flexed and clenched, itching for a card to be crushed.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he could hear Nanako crying and Yu’s vision cleared momentarily, just enough to see Nanako fall on the carpet, shaking in fear before his attention darted to the intruder.

With his weakened body and sluggish movements, his attempt at a swing missed and he was pushed into darkness.

 

\---

 

When Dojima saw the letter in the mail addressed to his nephew, he felt uneasy.

When that unease threatened to suffocate him, he reluctantly opened the letter.

Dojima sighed. There was only one real conclusion he could draw: Yu was connected with the murders. With the kidnappings.

_What the hell…_

He was a detective. He wanted answers. ‘Now’ would’ve been nice, but his nephew was currently bedridden with a nasty fever and while Dojima was a detective, his conversations with Yu taught him to prioritize family first. And family first meant not interrogating one’s ill nephew.

Dojima sighed. Again.

Yu wasn’t a liar – though he’d had his misgivings and misjudgements, Yu never lied. He worked with technicalities, with bending the rules – never flat out lying. He needed to trust Yu.

He called Yasogami to inform them of Yu’s absence, wrote a note for his nephew in the event he was lucid enough to read, kissed his daughter goodbye and went off for work.

The day went normal – as normal as it could be when there was a kidnapper/murderer on the loose with no definite motive and way to locate the victims. Because Yu and his friends always found them first.

_Trust._

When his phone rang from a call home, he picked it up, expecting a report from Nanako about her cousin’s health.

“Mr. Dojima _please Nanako’s crying Yu’s **gone**_ –“

He was quite sure he broke at least five road rules on the drive home.

He was also quite sure he didn’t give a damn.

Dojima practically hopped out of the car, ignoring Adachi’s surprised shout as he bolted for the door – the horribly banged up door – to see Hanamura Yosuke shaking as he watched Teddie comfort Nanako on the floor. His daughter didn’t look injured but she was obviously _terrified._

Adachi took one look at him and took the initiative, carefully approaching Hanamura by the side and asking him questions.

Dojima was watching his life crumple to ash.

 

\---

 

It felt like forever before they got there.

By the time they all made it through the busted door – Yamato-Takeru was _enraged_ at the site – Naoto had her fists clenched with so much vigor that she was sure she was bleeding.

God. Nanako was _sobbing._

Yukiko made a strangled noise of pure anguish and it was a domino effect. Naoto was the only one that managed to stay relatively impassive, though her heart and soul burned for vengeance.

God. Nanako was blaming _herself._

Naoto was sure she was bleeding. There was no way one could dig their nails into their skin with such intensity without resulting in bleeding.

“We’ll find him,” she assured the sobbing girl. They _will_ find him. “I-I called and let the station know – the kidnapper will not get away.”

Nanako let out another cry and Naoto was at a loss.

Once Nanako was escorted out, Detective Dojima looked at them. She took note of his tired eyes, the way he was bent, how a hand was clenched into a fist.

He lifted the fist. Opened. A letter.

“Yu was involved with the murders.”

Statement.

The others flinched. Naoto steeled herself and looked at the older detective in the eye – while she normally welcomed the challenge, she felt nothing but anxiety swirl inside her.

“What will you do now?” She asked in lieu of a reply.

Dojima tensed. His breathing was haggard – to be expected – and he looked out for revenge. Naoto returned the sentiment.

“Tell me everything.”

The members of the Investigation Team hitched in breath.

Yu was their leader. It was his call to make these decisions. The problem here was obvious. When they had made the decision to always try and leave someone to watch over the Dojima household with Yu ill, it had been made under Yosuke’s ‘shot’ since he was their de-facto leader.

Yosuke looked too horrified to even think.

Naoto kept her eyes level with the detective.

Even if Ryotaro Dojima didn’t believe them, they weren’t about to leave their friend – friend first, leader second – in the hands of either a murderer or trapped in a TV in his own personal hell.

She would explain. She would tell.

But they weren’t going to stay passive.


	2. of the morrow

Yu awoke with a choked cry.

His breath stuttered and his throat was scratchy and it hurt to even turn over as he coughed harshly, barely hearing himself over the loud noise of the engine.

His eyes burned and watered as a he slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the coughs.

_What…_

His head banged on the side of something as he belatedly put together he was in a vehicle with a large back. And he was in the back. His Personae weren’t conflicting against their personalities – if anything, they were rallied. And that only happened when –

_Nanako._

Shit. Shit, shit, _shit._ Yu tried to sit up but a sudden jolt threw him back down; he could hear someone muttering loudly as he regained his bearings. Letting another cough loose, he struggled to focus his vision in the back of the van.

Papers. Books. TV? No Nanako.

_No Nanako._

He slumped, exhaling deeply as relief flooded him and temporarily relieved him of pain. His sister was safe. Which brought a new tidbit of info to his sluggish mind.

Izanagi whispered in his mind, his other Personae following with their own words. Yu weakly flexed his arm and clenched his fist.

With his Personae formed from his friends’ and family’s bonds in his mind, he’d never felt more alone.

 

\---

 

Dojima was silent the entire time.

It unnerved Kanji.

He’d met with Detective Dojima several times before this moment, most occasions thanks to his aggressive actions resulting in a trip to the station. Each time Dojima looked tired and exasperated and typically ended with a stern warning.

Kanji had never seen the detective look so serious until then.

When Naoto finished, Dojima remained quiet, giving no inclination on whether or not they believed him. It wasn’t as if it mattered, they were all going to go regardless of his thoughts on the matter.

When his phone rang, Dojima silently pulled it out. Naoto’s followed with a ding and before she managed to answer Dojima turned and ran.

“He’s _where!?_ ”

The sudden noise made Chie flinch as Dojima ran out of the house; Teddie cried out as they all realized what was going on and they stumbled over each other, Naoto shouting and Yosuke taking control and “go, go, _go!_ ”

“Dojima-san!”

“ _Shit_ – “ Kanji stumbled as they all collectively began moving. “Hey! Dojima, wait!”

The man was had already driven away and Chie let out a shout of frustration.

“How are we gonna catch up to him!?”

“Adachi!” Naoto shouted and the man blinked in their direction. Nanako was quiet sans the occasional sniffling. Someone’s phone pinged. “You’re driving.”

Kanji strode forward with an aggressive air when the cop stammered out protests. “Buddy, our _friend_ just got kidnapped and you want to leave us out here?” He belatedly realized that Adachi had left the room with Nanako earlier during Naoto’s explanation to Dojima and had returned just moments ago.

“I’m a _cop_! I can’t just bring teenagers to a chase. H-How am I sure you guys weren’t part of this anyway?”

“You _ass_ ,” Chie hissed in pace with Kanji. “You’re just gonna let this happen!?”

Adachi leaned back as the two powerhouses crept closer before he raised his hands pleasingly. “F-fine! Jeez. Get in the car.”

Kanji sat directly behind Adachi’s seat and glared the entire time. He vaguely noted his hands were doing the motions for sewing as practice and he cracked his knuckles.

“Holy crap –“

“Close the damn doors _I haven’t stopped yet_ –“ Kanji ignored him and kept the door open, barely having the patience not to jump out and roll because he could already hear Yu-senpai gently scold him.

A part of him was utterly horrified at the scene of the crash, and seeing Dojima attempt to _crawl_ – Kanji had to wonder if stubbornness was a bloodline trait. He heard Adachi swear nearby as the beeps to a phone call came up for an ambulance.

“Dojima-san!” Naoto rushed over and kneeled. “Are you –“

“Doors – check the van –”

Rushing for the van miraculously still standing nearby, Kanji ripped the doors open, adrenaline controlling his mind as he hoped – _hoped_ – to see Yu in the van. _Alive._

Papers, some books, a TV and its stand flung around were in the back – but no Yu Narukami or Taro Namatame to be found.

“Damn it!” Kanji growled. His hands were shaking. His vision was blurred, though he couldn’t identify if it was anger or –

 _Of course not._ Everything would be fine. They just – just needed to catch Namatame and ruin the bastard. There was no need to _cry_ , of all things. He was just being an idiot, as always.

He turned, seeing how the rest of the team was reacting.

Not very well. He didn’t know how to describe it, but the hollow silence was suffocating.

“Yukiko – for god’s sake!” Kanji had been roughly pushed away as Yukiko tried to enter the van, Chie just catching up to wrap her arms around her waist. “Kanji –“

He grabbed onto one of Yukiko’s shoulders. For someone who was considered sweet and was their least likely to survive a physical hit, Yukiko had one hell of a force to her. “I need to - I need to save him, need –“

Kanji couldn’t properly recount the next set of events. At some point, he tuned back in to see Yukiko and Chie farther from the van, both pale and quiet. A far cry from their usual personalities. Rise had a hand pressed to her mouth, eyes misting over and Teddie was quiet, one hand reassuringly on her shoulder as if to keep her steady.

“Kanji,” someone muttered and he turned to see Yosuke walk up with a glowering Naoto following. His eyes saw the flickering colours of the departing ambulance. “Anything of significance?”

“Uh.” A quick glance showed the papers were blank. The TV was likely still working, but that was relatively obvious. Leaving –

He snatched the journal from underneath the TV stand, bent but otherwise fine. He hauled out of the van and flipped the pages.

“These are… notes,” Naoto mused. She flipped to the latest entry –

_That boy on TV. He lives with Ryotaro Dojima. I’ve delivered things to them. Even during the haze that surrounded after Mayumi’s death, he was there. Offering to lend a hand._

_I must save him._

There were so many things wrong with that note that Kanji couldn’t keep looking at it. There was more scribbled underneath the words that made Kanji’s mind tunnel and vision swim.

_And another person gone._

Kanji wondered what his Shadow would say, if he was still corporeal. He could feel Rokuten Maou watch silently from inside.

The next few hours were a blurry mess. He could remember being taken to the station with the others. For a statement, they said. For information. For help.

Naoto said that Dojima wanted them to find him. They had no reason to give a statement, but it would help them get out faster so he did.

(Hours. They’d been there for _hours._ He got the message that Yu had been kidnapped at night.)

“Kanji?”

He looked up to see Teddie in his bear outfit, one hand extended his way. The slight smile was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a neutral expression as the others entered the top of floor of Junes.

He took the hand and yanked him onto the seat beside him. Teddie leaned on him, fur brushing on his arm. Uncharacteristically soft fur.

Kanji only felt worse.

The air was suffocating as everyone sat down. Yukiko-senpai wasn’t looking anyone. She looked everywhere _except_ at them. Chie rested an arm on her back.

“We can go in today.”

Heads swerved to Yosuke, arms crossed and face determined. That was the first time since they reconvened that someone actually spoke out loud. “It’s mid-morning,” Yosuke began, “so we have time to get in and get out.”

“Senpai is also ill,” Naoto added, nodding for assent to Yosuke. “And the fog –“

“Yu won’t have his glasses on,” Chie muttered. “Not a chance. Yosuke’s right. We can go today – we _need_ to go today.”

_… Not gone._

Kanji felt his hands crackle with electricity. No. This was simply another operation. Get in, save the person, get out. Except it was a lot more personal.

He was an idiot. A real one. What kind of person wrote someone off so fast?

Apparently, him. Kanji noted that he had a lot to make up for.

_Waiting. Hoping._

Heh. He’d just have to make sure Yu-senpai was there to hear him say it.

 

\---

 

No matter how many times they entered the TV world, Yukiko never got used to the dizzy feeling of landing on the main stage. Her senses always felt elevated after; it made her feel like puking but the only taste that would creep on her throat would be suffocation.

In this session of the Midnight Channel, the feeling of dread made her paranoid. She felt skittishness that had been present up until she accepted her Shadow. While the threat of the place had always been real, the fact that their leader wasn’t there presented the threat as much more potent.

The ever present hum continued like nothing had ever happened. Normality was welcomed but in this case, she only wanted it to shut up.

“I found him,” Rise murmured, Kanzeon already fading as she pointed. “It was rough – almost as if he didn’t want to be found.”

“We didn’t see Namatame there, didn’t we?” Kanji asked. “Bet that asshole has something to do with it.”

Yukiko was inclined to agree. “Let’s go,” Yosuke said.

She didn’t have the best sense of direction but she could tell this was the farthest of all the places so far. She focused on how Yosuke’s fingers wouldn’t stop twirling a kunai or fiddling with his headphones cord, how Chie picked at the pins on her sweater, how Teddie’s skipping was subdued to almost dragging, even as they half-ran half-power walked. When the ground beneath her feet turned into grass, she knew they’d arrived even without seeing it first.

Rise let out a sharp exhale as they caught up to her and Yosuke in the front. “This is… senpai’s heart?”

Yukiko blinked and stepped back. Even with the urgency, they couldn’t help but admire the sight.

The dungeon was breathtaking.

A mansion. Stacks of bricks upon bricks, put together in a clever yet whimsical fashion; a swing on a tree, breaking down but obviously well loved. Vines crawling and curling on a wall. Flecks of blues and yellow and reds like a paintbrush had been spun around. The colour of a sunset-sky.

A childlike wonder encased in perfection.

The dungeon was _breathtaking_.

It was also very lonely.

It gave of the atmosphere of abandonment. Like the house had been left unwillingly – the love was there, but circumstance forced them away.

Or in the case of the dungeon’s owner…

_"Ah… so you came here because of your parents’ job. Haha, I thought it was something way more serious."_

Yukiko could remember Chie saying those exact words. When Chie said that, she could also remember Yu looking away briefly – maybe, back then, she assumed he was looking at the fields, at the plainness of Inaba, but now…

She didn’t want to continue that train of thought.

“No time to dawdle. Rise, can you –?”

“I can’t access the floors until we go in but –“ Rise hesitated, eyes squinting slightly at the structure. “Is… is it flickering?”

Yukiko looked back at the structure, realizing what Rise was saying. Parts of it seemed to be changing, flickering, disappearing and reappearing.

A castle, a tower, house of cards – the changes were too fast to keep up with and it made Yukiko’s head spin.

“Um.” Chie rubbed the back of her head. “Do you guys see a building? Like, a station of some sort?”

Yosuke’s eyebrows shot up. “No? I’m seeing Junes and that place Yu fought my shadow.”

“I’m not seeing any of those.” Yukiko shook her head. “It’s – it’s like a tower with me. Places to stay in.”

Naoto scrutinized the dungeon. “So the flickering parts differ for everyone present…”

Yukiko wasn’t sure if she wanted to know why.

“I can sense senpai and someone else.”

“Namatame, most likely,” Naoto supplied. “Since they’re both in here.”

Chie huffed. “Better not have done anything.”

Kanji grunted. “We ready to go, Yosuke-senpai?” Kanji fidgeted, clearly wanting to get going and Yukiko threw her thinking about the manifestation of the location aside – she had plenty of time to do that later.

Yosuke nodded. “We need to keep focused. If Namatame really is in there, we can’t afford to screw up.”

Yukiko vaguely noted how serious Yosuke looked; it was a far cry from his normal attitude of accidentally making Chie angry.

The front team was settled (“Naoto, Yukiko, Kanji. We can’t rely on – Yu to switch Persona’s to cover us. We’ll need the defense and versatility.”), and while they all had a very personal reason to rescue him, the feel of the unknown was thick.

Unlike the previous places, they had to physically open the door. Walnut wood, she observed. Expensive. And very telling in regards to Yu’s parents.

_In we go._

“… This isn’t a house.”

Yukiko expected Chie to retort to Yosuke’s obvious comment, but she only kept quiet as they observed the interior of the dungeon. It had always been designed the way it looked outside. Her castle, the bathhouse…

“ _It’s like… a circuit.”_ A _circuit_? That was certainly an odd choice. The low groans of Shadow’s reached her ears as she and the others withdrew their weapons. “ _Straightforward design. Sharp turns, like a circuit. Stairs in the middle of the room.”_

“Just like the main component of a circuit,” Naoto said.

The mindscape was eerily quiet. Even with their footsteps pounding on the floor – _like snapping circuit boards_ – and the groans of Shadow’s, there had always been some sort of noise, before.

**_“We’re leaving?”_ **

Yukiko nearly threw her fan in the wrong direction at the sound of the voice. Amaterasu’s Agidyne hit its mark as fire cleared the path for them, but they were all too surprised to move.

From a quiet, deadly landscape into whispers like a horror movie.

(Yukiko liked horror movies. She didn’t like this.)

“Was that – “ Yosuke stuttered. “Is that?”

“Shit, does it really go back until all the way when senpai was a damn kid?” Kanji leaned on his weapon, scowl affixed. “That’s just messed up.”

The warbled noises of shadows made them move again but the childish tone of the voice stuck in her heart. Yukiko knew what despair sounded like and even though this voice of Yu was young and clearly belonged to a child, it was intoning the voice of despair.

**_“I don’t want to go!”_ **

Amaterasu came up in a flurry of flame, scorching the nearby shadows as Naoto followed up with a Megidolaon. “Dibs on hurting Namatame,” Yosuke said flatly after he landed from a backflip.

Teddie’s communication channel sparked to life. “ _No fair, Yosuke.”_

“We can hurt him real good when we get to him,” Yukiko interjected. “Dibs or no dibs, Yosuke-kun.” Her voice was the one she used for stubborn clientele at the inn, those who were bossy or simply… challenged.

Kanji kicked a door down just as their map updated. The stairs were made of static electricity, crackling lightly as he stepped on it harmlessly. When they stepped on it, it was as harmless as it was to Kanji. A mere visual threat to prevent those without the boldness to enter.

“Hell hole,” someone muttered.

Minutes into floor two, Yukiko decide it was only going to get worse from here.

**_“A-again? We just moved!”_ **

“Oh, no,” Yukiko muttered. She took in the lines of wiring on the floor, the etched marks on the walls. Like counting days.

Naoto seemed to have reached a conclusion. “If the higher we go, the older he gets…”

“This is messed up,” Kanji repeated.

The accompanying sounds of low, unfamiliar voices filled the floor, Yu’s young voice long gone.

They rushed the floor, grabbing items they could and fighting Shadows they couldn’t avoid. At Floor Three, Rise’s analysis could no longer provide the full floor plan, but she could still identify the location of the stairs. The floor had more dead-ends than any mindscape they’d been in before, even this early on. Other than that, the floor was simple. Door, stairs, and onto Floor Four.

It was like clockwork and Yukiko was thankful for that piece of familiarity, even if the thought was selfish considering the situation. Rinse and repeat – battle, door, stairs, floor.

At Floor Six, Rise’s sharp inhale was clear as day through the communications. _“…Guys?”_

“Rise-chan?” Yukiko reluctantly asked.

_“Uh…”_

Yosuke fiddled with his kunai. “Some context would be nice?”

 _“It’s a maze,”_ Rise supplied, voice faint and shaky. _“A big maze. Like a very complicated circuit. It came literally out of nowhere. Even then, the others were gradual, but this –”_

“We must presume that Namatame’s presence is causing a disruption,” Naoto responded, eyes calculating and searching. “If it was only senpai, then only his heart would create and conform the place. But with another person, Namatame also has influence.”

“Fun- _fucking_ -tastic.” Kanji let out a roar of anger as a Shadow disintegrated to dust.

Rise wasn’t exaggerating on the ‘big maze’ part. Unlike most renditions of mazes that she had been in, the paths went for a long time before being introduced into a wall. Or, in some of their run ins, a loop to waste their time. Kanji had tried to absorb the electricity or to overcharge it but it only resulted in scorch marks and the maze changing so that they were even _more_ lost.

Yosuke swapped her and Naoto out at Floor Seven and they were both thankful about the break – it gave Yukiko time to fully absorb what the younger Narukami Yu said in the mindscape.

And how eerily… _different_ the whole place was. “We haven’t seen a single large Shadow since we got in here,” Yukiko murmured.

Rise nodded her assent as Naoto frowned in confusion. The main team had cleared out most of the Shadows and left the smallest, most ‘harmless’ Shadows to them if they proved to be a threat in any capacity, so she explained the patterns from previous excursions to Naoto as they dealt with minor threats.

Until Teddie shrieked come Floor Eight, making Yukiko throw her fan the wrong direction and making it stick haphazardly to a static wall.

“ _Ted_ –“

**_“Why are they asking me?”_ **

Something muffled the shriek Teddie let out as it lowered into a whimper. Yukiko could hear Yosuke’s voice in the background.

“ _Same age, then?_ ” Chie asked.

Naoto tugged her cap down with a frown. “It… seems so. The jumps in age are so sudden –“

**_“How do I help? What do I say?”_ **

Naoto didn’t seem bothered in the slightest that she had been interrupted. “– and it’s leading me to a conclusion that’s far from pretty.”

Yukiko heard Kanji groan and spew profanity like no tomorrow. “Do you know what it means then, Naoto-kun?” She asked. She didn’t think she’d like the answer no matter what the Detective Prince said.

“… Admittedly, no.”

Rise abruptly stopped her walking, Kanzeon’s humming gone. “I’ve got a clear view of the rest of the structure.” Rise’s voice was faint. Tired. “One more floor. One more floor to the top.”

Yukiko retrieved her fan, pursing her lips. Like Naoto, she had her hunches. And when they made it to the top, she didn’t think she’d like that answer, too.

_One more floor._

 

\---

 

One floor to go, and as customarily mocking, Floor Nine was a bitch.

Not only were the shadows stronger, larger, and came in even larger packs, they lacked an essential power that helped them survive the other mindscapes.

But there was also the glaring reason of her friend’s internal thoughts being whispered in this place.

**_“They won’t be coming for me.”_ **

Chie let her blood boil as she summoned Suzuka Gongen, her Persona roaring to mirror her emotions.

She didn’t consider herself a master of psychology in the slightest, but she knew enough to discern that Yu had abandonment issues.

**_"They don't need me. Not anymore."_ **

"Anymore?" Kanji echoed. "The hell?"

Rise let out a noise. _"Whenever senpai couldn't meet with me, it was always because he was already on his way to meet someone else. I wonder – "_

"Our Personas," Yosuke muttered and it made _sense._

Chie thought about the day her Persona had changed – it was reinvigorating, because she had just moved on from something that kept haunting her and she wouldn't have done it without Yu's help –

And after that, while they still met up for studying and for the TV world, they... Didn't meet much. Chie barely muffled her choke.

Yosuke looked dazed as Susano’o faded back into their card. “Son of a bitch. Did we actually –“ He cut himself off. Chie couldn’t think of anything to tease Yosuke with.

“Sensei…” Teddie’s ear twitched, his expression sad and weary. “Sensei’s a beary wonderful person! I didn’t think…”

Yosuke shakily inhaled. "Ted, there's... a lot of things we don't know about other people."

"But it's _Sensei!_ "

“Teddie,” Chie said sharply. “And us. In – in this case, I don’t think he’s blaming us. If anything –“ Her throat closed up. She couldn’t finish it. _Woudn’t_. She could see her Shadow already mocking her for being a coward like this.

 _“Guys,”_ Rise cut in softly, _“I can sense the door. Yu-senpai and Namatame are really close.”_ Rise left it at that; nothing more to say, nothing more to interpret.

Teddie sniffled as his Persona slammed a Shadow into the wall. They had iced the walls they already passed by to ensure they knew their path, using Shadow remnants as a specific ‘thread’ to line their way. Chie tried to use this topic to get off the awkward and unbearable silence they were all stuck in.

**_"Is there a point in going back?"_ **

Leave it to Yu, present or not, to break it.

 “Shit,” Kanji muttered. “That doesn’t sound good.”

Someone whimpered, their sounds muffled by Yu’s tired voice.

**_“No. They’re not coming, so what’s the point in looking for them. They don’t care now, why care then.”_ **

Kanji let out a strangled shout of frustration.

Chie nodded, exhaustion eating away at her – physically and mentally. “I don’t remember anyone’s places saying they’d stay. It was all…”

“ _The influences of their shadow and mindscape?_ ” Yukiko provided.

“Yeah. Pieces of conversations, all that.”

“ _If this is unprecedented information…_ ” Naoto trailed off with a small hum.

**_“I won’t be alone here.”_ **

“I’m taking dibs on giving Yu a wake up call on this and showing him that he matters,” Chie stated, “because Shadow or no Shadow, we’re setting his mind straight.”

A hollow laugh from Suzuka Gongen echoed as ice shot out to mark their path as they opened the door to a grand staircase.

Kanji adjusted his glasses. “Damn straight.”

The floor itself was the same others – one large door at the end of the room, the interior following the motif of the place itself. As they waited for the others to catch up, Chie fiddled with her glasses. It felt like something was crawling on her skin, even with the glasses on. She didn’t want to know how it’d feel with them off.

As the rest of the team entered the floor, her mind drifted to Yu as she eyed the door. Rise mentioned that there were a lot of shadows in one central place in the room when she caught up alongside Naoto. The room Yu was in.

_“I don’t sense a Shadow reminiscent of senpai. I-I mean, that can change, but…”_

That was some good news, at least – the best news they’d heard since their leader had been kidnapped. Now it was all the matter of kicking a kidnapper into oblivion and getting out of the worst mindscape yet.

They were doing last minute preparations, setting up background teams and commands as they consumed Spirit restoring items. On any other rescue, they would have come back another day for when they were at full strength after the near disaster that was Yukiko’s Castle, but Yu had always been scarce with using the recovery items unless needed and they weren’t going to come back another day.

“Are we all ready?” Yosuke asked. His nervous tick on fiddling with the headphone cord was obvious with the way he was twisting the cord around two fingers that wasn’t holding the kunai. The collective sound of agreement arose and he nodded.

He pushed the door open, hasty but careful. Once inside, Chie wanted to ice the entire thing with how mockingly pretty it was.

A far cry from the actual interior, the room was like a display case – a circular dome encasing the faux garden they were in, the sky a blotted and inky red and white. It reminded Chie of seeing those collectors at cons, carefully protecting a prized possession and presenting it on a trophy wall for all to see, never to be touched.

And the ‘object of affection’ himself stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by foggy air. Even though Rise had said there was no Shadow, Chie was afraid what she would see if Yu raised his head.

He was pale and gaunt and he stood like he was about to collapse under his own weight at any moment, remnants of blood ran through his arms and legs. He looked like a dead man walking.

“... Narukami?”

His listless hands twitched as Yu seemed to tense, raising his head enough to see his entire face. All sorts of noise erupted from them – Chie could easily feel the sheer _joy_ of just seeing him, coupled with relief that they were almost done.

Then the feeling of intense disbelief coiled around them. Chie knew it was because they were _finally_ here.

But it coiled around Yu, too. Like he wasn’t expecting them.

The voice of the dungeon just floors earlier echoed in her ears.

He coughed harshly and the team’s joy abruptly cut off – it was painful to listen to.

“L-leave me,” Yu stuttered out, face ashen as he struggled to speak. “ _Go_.”

The eerie atmosphere returned and Chie swore she could hear the murmurs of Shadows.

“If you think we’re gonna leave you here,” Yosuke shouted, kunai cutting through the Magician Card, “then you’re an _idiot_ , partner!” And of course the team could feel it too.

Yu inhaled sharply, looking almost fearful when the fog whipped around and lashed out at them, blocking their friend from sight.

Chie tensed as her sights cleared and realized that Yu _wasn’t_ standing on his own weight – Shadows were clawed around his neck and torso, holding him up like glass, visible now that the fog covering them had been moved. And behind him stood a shaking Taro Namatame, one hand pressed to his face.

“ _Namatame_ ,” Naoto hissed, revolver drawn and aimed. “Let him go.”

Namtame raised his head and withdrew the hand. He didn’t look surprised to see them – and of _course_ not. He was the killer, he’s killed others, he knew how it worked – there wasn’t about to be another victim, much less Yu.

“Don’t touch him, asshole,” Chie growled. Suzuka Gongen’s spear glinted in the light of their ice.

“I don’t understand,” he whispered. He gave an almost desperate grin, moving closer to Yu. “Don’t you see?” Namatame drawled on, looking more and more crazed as he rested a hand on Yu’s shoulder, the latter himself grimacing at the touch. “I’ve been saving people – you and you _and you and you…_ ”

“We said _don’t touch him_ –“

Namatame tugged Yu to his side and Yu nearly collapsed as the Shadows crooned.

“You _piece of –_ “ Chie snarled as she and the others rushed for them, only to be held back by the remnants of the fog that had been blown in front of them. It was like a physical barrier; their hands and fingers could slip through where it wasn’t present but it was impossible to get through where it was. Kanji slammed his weapon on the fog only for it to recoil.

Naoto’s Persona readied their blade, the tell-tale signs of a concentrated Megido charging up –

Namatame shouted; the Shadows screamed – Yu _flinched_ – and joined together in a dark mass. She heard Yukiko shriek, Yosuke shout and all sorts of noise as they helplessly watched Shadows swathe their friend, one hand outstretched towards them in some sort of plea –

And then he was covered in Shadows too, as their Persona’s shrieked in unison alongside _them_ –

The ensemble of Shadows screeched and debris came flying at them in response to the battle cries, tossing the fog away behind them and blocking their view as dust and shadows soared. When it cleared, she couldn’t tell if the large Shadow that had appeared before them was nothing more than a mess on her glasses, but the sight of Yu by the Shadow’s base made her breath hitch as it truly hit her what was about to happen.

He stood like a puppet on strings and Chie wished she was imagining Yu’s expression of absolute agony as the giant Shadow clicked and clattered, red rings spinning and moving.

“ _Go_ ,” he whispered, before he recoiled and wrenched his eyes shut like he was having an internal struggle.

Yu outstretched a hand, fingers splayed as he pointed open-palm their way. Just like before he was sucked into the mass of shadows that became the Shadow holding him hostage.

As a Ziodyne struck down on them, Izanagi let out an agonized cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT EVOLVED. IT GREW LARGER. HELP -
> 
> Mmm. Sorry this took so long. Blame Yu's dungeon. It was a pain to make something original from a relatively popular concept and hints from P4Arena and building his dungeon made me want to Commit Seppuku.  
> This ran away from me _fast_ , as you can see with the additional chapter to be added.  
> Hopefully by the end of the week.
> 
> What happened while the team went through the dungeon that made Yu react to things like he was psychologically tortured as a hostage in his own mind? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> (If things go well and the plot doesn’t take control away and start writing itself, it _should_ be hinted/revealed in another fic in progress that can either be taken from canon or from this AU.)
> 
> If you see any errors, please feel free to point them out. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and I especially hope to see you in the last chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> in the wake of tomorrow, if you can't save me, meet me in heaven instead


End file.
